Half Price for Deliverance

He was a good man
but a bit stingy. He would bargain and haggle on a price, never paying the
price asked. He especially hated paying his medical fees.

One day, while
eating fish, a bone became got in his throat and within minutes he could
scarcely breathe. His wife frantically called the family doctor, who arrived
just as the patient's face was turning blue. The physician quickly removed the
bone with a pair of forceps.

When he was again
breathing normally, although overwhelmed with gratitude to the doctor for
saving his life, the doctor's fees were a bit worrisome to him.

Trying his best to
keep his costs down, he turned to the good doctor and asked, "How much do
I owe you for this small two-minute job?"

The doctor, who
knew his patient's miserly habit too well, replied, "Just pay me half of
what you would have when the bone was still stuck in your throat!"

This story
illustrates the point that if people can remember back to the time of their
crisis, they will be much more appreciative of their deliverance.